Utd’s Rashford faces 12 weeks out; Maguire’s father injured in chaos

Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford could be sidelined for up to three months after deciding to have surgery on a shoulder issue following Euro 2020, according to reports on Tuesday.

Rashford, 23, had a scan earlier in the day on the issue which has hampered the England striker since the end of the club season, the Daily Telegraph and the BBC reported.

He will only be able to have the operation at the end of July due to the surgeon’s availability.

Rashford played five times for England in Euro 2020 and missed a penalty in the shootout loss to Italy in the final.

Earlier in the day, anti-racism demonstrators gathered at a mural of Rashford in Manchester after it was vandalised amid a deluge of abuse against England players.

Throughout the day, hundreds gathered at the wall painting which had been defaced with racist abuse as Rashford and his black teammates Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka were targeted online over the side’s defeat to the Azzurri.

Before he was attacked by trolls after the game, Rashford had become a hero to many inside and outside football by successfully lobbying British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to provide free school meals for under-privileged children during the coronavirus pandemic.

United begin their pre-season preparations at Derby on Sunday before starting their Premier League campaign at home to Leeds on Aug.14.

Meanwhile, England fans allegedly bribed stewards and forged tickets to enter London’s Wembley Stadium for the Euro 2020 final, causing chaos that defender Harry Maguire said had left his father injured.

The Guardian newspaper on Wednesday quoted an anonymous fan as saying ticketless fans used the messaging app Telegram to share advice on breaching security before and during Sunday’s disturbances, adding to anecdotal evidence of a planned event.

The report came as Maguire revealed his father suffered two suspected broken ribs and struggled to breathe after being caught up in the incident.

Alan Maguire, 56, and the Manchester United player’s agent Kenneth Shepherd were trampled by unruly ticketless fans as they entered the stadium before the match between England and Italy.

“It was not a nice experience -- it shook him up. It was scary. I don’t want anyone to experience that at a football match,” Maguire told British tabloid The Sun.

A 24-year-old man -- identified by a pseudonym “Pablo” -- told The Guardian Telegram groups contained hundreds of people seeking tickets and assistance in breaching security, estimating 5,000 people illicitly entered Wembley.

He said fans bribed stewards, some reportedly for just £20 ($28, 23 euros), and others forged tickets in their name by altering photographs of genuine tickets to gain entry.

Around 300 supporters poured through disabled entrances when they were opened, the source said, adding to multiple reports that some fans tailgated those with genuine tickets to pass through the turnstiles.

Alan Maguire, who was injured in the ensuing violent disorder, did not ask for medical treatment as England supporters overwhelmed security staff to enter the stadium and occupy the seats of paying spectators.

“My dad’s a big fan -- he got on with it. He was struggling with his breathing because of his ribs, but he’s not one to make a big fuss,” Harry Maguire was quoted as saying.

“He was fortunate as every game he has been to he has had my nephew or one of my kids on his shoulders,” the 28-year-old player added.

European football’s governing body UEFA on Tuesday charged England’s Football Association over the unsavoury scenes and will appoint an “ethics and disciplinary inspector” to investigate the pre-match incidents.

The infractions included fans booing Italy’s national anthem, the lighting of a firework, a mid-game pitch invasion and supporters throwing objects.

London’s police force said it made 86 arrests and that 19 of its officers were injured in connection with managing the Euro 2020 final.

Agencies